The dissertation is the most important requirement for the ...



Dissertation Guide

Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing

School of Computer Science & Information Systems

Pace University

Version 1.0 February 2001

Dissertation Guide Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing

1. The Dissertation

• 1.1 What is a dissertation?

• 1.2 Dissertation research methods

• 1.3 Publication of dissertation research

2. The Dissertation Process for the D.P.S. in Computing

• 2.1 Getting started

• Evaluation of doctoral students

• The Dissertation Tracking Form

• The Dissertation Approval Form

• Grades during dissertation process

• Procedures for processing the Dissertation Approval Form

• Idea paper approval

• Committee formation approval;

• Dissertation proposal approval

• Dissertation approval

• Suggested time line

• 2.2 The Dissertation Idea Paper

• Idea paper format and content

• 2.3 The Dissertation Committee

• Committee formation

• Operation of the committee

• Changes in advisor or committee member(s)

• 2.4 The Dissertation Proposal

• Format and content

• Title Page

• Abstract

• Table of Contents

• List of tables

• Figure list

• Dissertation Proposal: Text

• Chapter 1 Introduction

• Chapter 2 Review of the Literature - Relevance of research in the context of other work

• Chapter 3 Methodology

• Chapter 4 Expectations

• Appendices

• Bibliography/Reference List

• 2.5 Dissertation Manuscript

• Format and Content

• Title Page

• Approval/Signature Page

• Abstract

• Acknowledgments

• Table of Contents

• List of Tables

• Figure List

• Dissertation Text

• Chapter 1 Introduction

• Chapter 2 Relevance of research in the context of other work

• Chapter 3 Methodology

• Chapter 4 Results

• Chapter 5 Conclusions, Implications, Recommendations, and Summary

• Appendices

• Bibliography/Reference List

• Dissertation Binding

Appendix A

Sample Forms

• Dissertation Tracking Form

• Dissertation Approval Form

Appendix B

Sample Dissertation Pages

• Sample Title Page

• Sample Dissertation Signature (Approval) Page

Suggested Readings

Davis, G.B., & Parker, C.A. (1997). Writing the Doctoral Dissertation: A Systematic Approach Second Edition, Barron's Educational Series 1997.

Mauch, J. E., & Birch, J.W. (1993). Guide to the Successful Thesis and Dissertation: A Handbook for Students and Faculty (4th ed.). New York: Marcel Dekker 1998

1. The Dissertation

1.1 What is a Dissertation?

The dissertation is generally considered to be the most important requirement for the doctoral degree. You are expected, with the help and eventual approval of an advisor, to select an appropriate topic to satisfy the requirements for the dissertation. Although registrations for dissertation credits typically occur at or near the end of completion of the course requirements, you are encouraged to learn about the dissertation process as early as possible, and to begin talking with faculty about potential research topics early in the program. You will have an advisor before the end of the second year who will assist you through the process, but it is your responsibility to learn about the process.

The dissertation is an original, rigorous research work carried out independently by the doctoral student. It represents an extrapolation from a base of solid experience or knowledge. The research work advances knowledge, improves professional practice or contributes to understanding in the field of study. Dissertation work is presented in a logical and understandable fashion.

Originality means that the work has not been done previously in the same way. Independence means that the research is conceived, performed, and documented primarily by the doctoral student. To be rigorous, the research presents precise distinctions among facts, implications, and suppositions. Rigor is achieved by using demonstrable facts when reporting procedures and results, by building on a foundation of facts when drawing conclusions, by specifying links to facts when inferring implications, by always bringing forward all relevant data, and by being both self-critical and logical in reporting [Mauch & Birch, 1998].

The dissertation must be of sufficient strength to be able to distill from it a paper worthy of publication in a refereed journal or conference proceeding, or to use it as the basis of a monograph. Although publication is not a requirement for completing the doctoral degree, you are required to prepare a paper to submit for publication. There is also no better way to appreciate the standards expected in a journal paper, or dissertation, than to read papers and dissertations in your area of specialization.

To facilitate the dissertation process, the D.P.S. program includes a series of research seminars that help you develop skills that you can use in the dissertation process, such as information gathering, problem identification, investigation and analysis, effective documentation, planning, and management. In many cases, these research seminars help lay a direct foundation for a dissertation or indirectly stimulate interest in an area that ultimately leads to a dissertation.

1.2 Dissertation Research Methods

Research is the diligent and systematic inquiry into a subject undertaken to discover, establish, or revise facts or theories, or reach new conclusions. The research method employed is dependent on the nature of the inquiry. In some contexts the research method involves a special type of controlled experiment. However, in other contexts, different methods may be more appropriate. There is no generally accepted classification of types of doctoral-level research. For a discussion of types of research methods, you may wish to consult Mauch and Birch (1998). You will be exposed to a range of research methods useful for the dissertation in the research seminar sequence during your first two years of study.

1.3 Publication of Research Results

Publication of dissertation results is not required but is encouraged. You are required to prepare a paper for publication. Your advisor will be pleased to recommend several appropriate professional or scholarly journals for submission of your work. Publication in a refereed journal is the best way to validate the value of the candidate's work. Students sometimes co-author publications with their advisors and/or committee members, or with fellow students. This may happen when substantial contributions are made by these persons or when the dissertation is part of a larger project. In the latter case, other individuals who have collaborated on the project may also be co-authors.

2. The Dissertation Process for the D.P.S. in Computing

This section discusses how to

• prepare for the dissertation

• explore topics

• find an advisor

• write short and clear idea papers to help you converge on a topic

• review the literature in your area of interest

• write a dissertation proposal

• work with your advisor on the formation of a committee

• complete the research and structure the final dissertation

2.1 Getting Started

The first goal is to find a possible dissertation area and to write a Dissertation Idea Paper. Ideas for topics may come from many sources: a core course, readings, your job, an elective course, a discussion with a faculty member, readings, a discussion with a colleague at your job, a discussion with a fellow student, and readings! We're trying to convince you that the more you read the literature, the easier topic selection will be. Each paper, book, report, or dissertation that you read uses prior work as a foundation and, since a single work can't do it all, usually points to future work that might be pursued.

As you proceed in your quest for a dissertation area, you will be exposed to many potential topics. A good approach is to keep a notebook in which you list possible topics. For each possible topic, provide a title, a short description of what the work might entail, an indication of the source(s) of the idea, relevant references, an annotated bibliography, and comments by faculty members or fellow students with whom you have discussed the idea. Course instructors may mention potential research topics during lectures, so be sure to include these on your list. Remember that your interests may change as you proceed, thus keeping track of even mildly interesting potential topics can be worthwhile. As a doctoral student, you are expected to use the library, the Internet, and the World Wide Web extensively.

You may become anxious because you do not have a dissertation topic, but this is not unusual; everyone goes through a search process. By the end of the second year you will find a topic. Remember that the faculty understands this situation and is there to advise you and help you get through it.

Many students experience one or more false starts that result in a search for new topics. This also is not unusual.

As you start to focus on a topic, you should start the search for a dissertation advisor. As a general rule, only full-time CSIS faculty members or adjunct faculty who have taught you a course may serve as dissertation advisors. Exceptions must be approved by the program office. You should have selected an advisor by April 30 of the second year of study.

Evaluation of Doctoral Students

You will be evaluated for idea paper(s) and the dissertation proposal as well as each semester of your dissertation work. The purpose of this evaluation is to provide you with relevant and timely feedback concerning your overall performance in the dissertation process and to serve as a screening procedure.

The Dissertation Tracking Form and the Dissertation Approval Form

There are two forms that must be kept up to date and filed with the doctoral program office once you begin work on your dissertation. The Dissertation Tracking Form logs the progress through each of the phases of the dissertation process, and the Dissertation Approval Form documents the successful completion of each phase.

The Dissertation Tracking Form

When you are prepared to submit an idea paper to a faculty member you must complete the Dissertation Tracking Form (see Appendix A) and file it with the program office along with a copy of the work. This form indicates that you have officially initiated your dissertation process and enables the program office to better support your efforts. The program office will contact the designated faculty member(s) and forward the idea paper.

The Dissertation Approval Form

As you complete and obtain approval at each stage of the dissertation process, a completed and signed Dissertation Approval Form (see Appendix A) along with the approved document (idea paper, dissertation proposal, or final dissertation) must be filed with the program office. The signature of your advisor and, when appropriate, the signature of each committee member on this form indicates the successful completion of all of the requirements for a key stage of the dissertation process.

Grades during the Dissertation Process

Students who are making satisfactory progress receive an S (satisfactory progress) grade for each semester that they are enrolled in dissertation work, i.e., Dissertation I, Dissertation II, and continuing dissertation. Upon successful completion of the final dissertation manuscript, the S grades are changed to the letter grade received. Students who do not demonstrate any activity or progress during an enrolled term will receive a U (unsatisfactory progress) grade.

Procedures for Processing the Dissertation Approval Form

Idea Paper Approval and Agreement to Serve as Advisor

Student: Complete the form, check the box marked Idea Paper, and deliver it and the Idea Paper to the D.P.S. program office. The program office will forward these to the faculty member who has indicated interest in being your advisor and has tentatively approved your topic and Idea Paper.

Advisor: Review the paper. If you approve, sign the form and forward it and the paper to the program office.

Program Office: Distribute confirmation copies to all parties involved. Originals will be kept on file in the program office.

Committee Formation Approval

Student: Complete the form, check box marked Committee Formation, and forward to the D.P.S. program office. The program office will distribute the form to all listed committee members.

Advisor: Sign the form and forward it to the program office.

Committee Members: Sign the form and return it to the program office.

Program Office: Distribute confirmation copies to all parties involved. Originals will be kept on file in the program office.

Approvals for Dissertation Proposal and Final Dissertation Manuscript

Student: Complete form, check appropriate box, and forward to the D.P.S. program office along with the appropriate document for which you have received tentative approval. The program office will distribute the materials to all appropriate parties.

Advisor: Review the document. If you approve, sign the form and forward it and the document to the program office.

Committee Members: Review document, sign form, and return to the program office.

Program Office: Route document to other members for reviewDistribute confirmation copies to all parties involved. Originals will be kept on file in the program office.

Important Dates

To be completed On or before

Completion of Idea Paper: December 15 of Year 2

Advisor selection April 30 of Year 2

Completion of Draft Proposal June 30 of Year 2

Committee formation July 31 of Year 3

Completion of Dissertation Proposal September 15 of Year 3

Completion of draft of Chapters 1 & 2 November 30 of Year 3

Draft of Chapter 3 January 15 of Year 3

Draft of Chapter 4 February 28 of Year 3

Final draft Chapters 1 - 3 March 15 of Year 3

Final draft Chapters 4 & 5 April 15 of Year 3

Draft of paper for publication April 30 of Year 3

Final manuscript April 30 of Year 3

Defense of dissertation May 1 - May 30 of Year 3

2.2 The Dissertation Idea Paper

At some point in time, you must put your topic into words, clearly and succinctly. The purpose of the dissertation idea paper is to obtain from an interested faculty member a constructive evaluation of your topic.

If it is determined to be suitable for a doctoral dissertation, then you are on your way. Things, however, may not be that simple. If the idea paper is not clear, you might be asked to revise the idea paper and re-submit it for further review. Or if your work is deemed not to be suitable for a doctoral dissertation, you may wish to try another faculty member or another topic.

The dissertation idea paper may be presented to more than one faculty member. All submissions should be via the D.P.S. program office, which will forward the document to the appropriate parties and ensure a timely response. The program office will inform all faculty readers of the idea paper which other faculty members are reviewing your proposed research. As your work evolves, you may be asked to revise the idea paper. If your research evolves into a significantly different topic, then you may be asked to submit a new idea paper, which may require that you find a new advisor.

2.2.1 Idea Paper Format and Content

The dissertation idea paper should be a short document of no more than 5 - 10 double-spaced pages. This work is not intended to be a one-time or static document. As dissertation work proceeds, goals evolve and the original idea paper may no longer represent the current work. In fact, the idea paper is really a diary that documents the process from original concept to dissertation proposal. Thus you will need to update the idea paper regularly so that it accurately tracks the dissertation independent of the stage of the preliminary research.

You should consider the following research guidelines and research plan when preparing the idea paper:

Research Guidelines

• problem formulation

• analysis and evaluation of the state of the art

• research methodology

• underlying principles of the approach

• utility of the approach

• validation of the results

• critical evaluation of one's own work

• identification of the target audience

• beneficiaries of the thesis

• validation techniques (such as prototyping, field experiment, or argumentation)

• definition of the innovative contribution of the thesis to the existing state of the art

Research Plan

• clearly formulate the research question

• identify the significant problems in the field of research

• outline the current knowledge of the problem domain, as well as the state of the art of existing solutions

• present clearly any preliminary ideas, the proposed approach and the results achieved to date

• sketch the research methodology that will be applied

• state your contributions to the problem solution

• state in what aspects the suggested solution is different, new or better as compared to existing approaches to the problem.

The following outline and instructions are offered as a guide; there is no rigid prescription or formula to follow:

1. Problem Statement - the Essence of the Research

This section provides a clear and concise statement of the problem to be addressed (why the work is being undertaken) and a concise definition of the goal of the work (what the work will accomplish). It should contain supporting evidence from the literature of the significance of the problem. At any time in the dissertation process, you should be able to clearly and concisely state the essence of your research. This essence statement will continuously evolve from its initial statement in the idea paper until the final dissertation work is completed. It serves as a measurable research goal. Often students do not provide an adequate statement of the problem and this has been the basis for failure. If you cannot say what you are doing (the essence) and why you're doing it, you don't have the basis for a dissertation.

2. Relevance and Significance of the Research

This section serves to strengthen the statement of the problem to be addressed. It contains a brief description of the work being proposed in relation to work in the literature. While a full literature search is not required at this stage, a brief discussion and synthesis of key relevant work must be included. The result of your work must, in a significant way, advance knowledge, improve professional practice, and/or contribute to understanding in the field of study. It should be possible to distill from your completed dissertation a paper that is worthy of publication in a refereed journal or conference proceeding or as a monograph.

3. Estimate of the Research Effort

In this section, you discuss the underlying problem(s) and issues and the expected degree of difficulty of their solution. It is important to know whether the problem you have selected is too large, too small or just right. Your advisor can provide guidance. However as you search for your dissertation topic you should estimate the required research effort by considering the following issues. Why has this problem not already been addressed? Is it because the work is difficult and the solution elusive? Or is it because the problem is simple, limited in scope, or of little interest to the research community? Reading the literature will help put your idea into perspective and provide a metric for estimating the research effort.

4. Research Approach

Address how you expect to accomplish the proposed research goal. Prepare a list of the major steps, in sequence, you believe will have to be taken to accomplish the goal.

5. Resources

If appropriate, provide a preliminary description of the facilities or human resources to be used to accomplish the research.

6. References

The reference list must contain an entry for every work cited in the paper. It must follow the style shown in this Dissertation Guide. The references should be in alphabetical order by first author and numbered sequentially. They should include author, title, publisher/journal/proceedings, page number(s), and publication date. Citations in the body of the paper should have the number of the paper in square brackets ([]).

For example:

The task of working in unknown areas is difficult to say the least [11]. According to Stevens [12], this is compounded by .........

References

[11] J. Smith and T. Jones, "Analyzing results in a vacuum", Proceedings Third IEEE Symposium on Thinking, pp. 34-45, San Francisco, CA, IEEE Press 1998

[12] K. Stevens, "To think or not to think", Comm. ACM, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 513-516, 1997

2.3 The Dissertation Committee

Your advisor or the program office will tell you when you should initiate the formation of a dissertation committee. This usually occurs between the time that the advisor approves the idea paper and approves the preliminary dissertation proposal. The committee should be formed by August 1 of the second year of study. The advisor will recommend faculty members for you to contact to explore the possibility of their serving on your committee. Potential committee members should be given copies of your work-to-date for their review.

Committee Formation

Committees usually have three members, one of whom is the advisor who will chair the committee. After the committee has been formed, the terms dissertation advisor and dissertation chair may be used interchangeably. CSIS adjunct faculty members may serve on committees. One committee member may be from another university or from industry. The outside member ordinarily will have a doctorate in the discipline and have expertise in the research area. All outside committee members must be approved by the program office. As a general rule, outside committee members shall not serve as advisors. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the program office and the Dean of CSIS, and will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances.

You must complete a Dissertation Approval Form (see Appendix A). Write in the names of faculty members who have agreed to serve on the committee, check the Committee Formation box, and forward the Dissertation Approval Form to the program office along with your most-recently approved dissertation work product. The program office will coordinate with the advisor on obtaining the signatures of the committee members. Copies of the signed Dissertation Approval Form indicating the committee formation will be distributed by the doctoral program office to you and your advisor. The originals are kept on file in the program office.

Operation of the Committee

After the committee has been formed, it shall operate under the leadership of the dissertation advisor/chair, who has the primary responsibility for advising and guiding the student. You should avoid taking or assuming direction from a committee member that might result in a change in approach or direction of the research without first coordinating with the chair. The signature of each committee member will be required to indicate approval of the Final Dissertation.

Changes in Advisor or Committee Member(s)

Sometimes a change in the composition of the committee is required. If there is no change of advisor, the process described previously for committee formation must be followed. If a change of advisor is required, the process described previously regarding agreement to serve as advisor must be followed. In this case, the faculty member who agrees to serve as advisor must sign the Dissertation Approval Form and indicate approval of the idea paper, dissertation proposal, and any work documents prepared to date.

2.4 The Dissertation Proposal

Following approval of the dissertation idea paper, you are expected to start your dissertation proposal. You will continue to work with your advisor unless there is a need for a change of advisor. The dissertation proposal is an important step on the way from the dissertation idea paper to the final dissertation. It is an expanded version of the idea paper and should be no more than 30 double-spaced pages in length. A full literature search is not required at this stage; however, an annotated reference list should be prepared and included in the proposal covering the material you have read. The relationship between the proposed topic and the literature reviewed should be discussed in the proposal.

2.4.1 Format and Content of the Dissertation Proposal

A suggested outline for the dissertation proposal follows:

• Front Matter

• Title Page

• Abstract (maximum of 350 words)

• Table of Contents

• List of Tables

• List of Figures

• The Text

• Chapter 1. Introduction

– Statement of the problem to be investigated and goal to be achieved

– Relevance, significance or need for the work

– Elements, hypotheses, theories, or research questions to be investigated

– Limitations and delimitation of the study

– Definition of terms

• Chapter 2. Relevance of the research in the context of other work

– Historical overview of the theory and research literature

– The theory and research literature specific to the topic

– Summary of what is known and unknown about the topic

– The contribution this study will make to the field

• Chapter 3. Methodology

– Research method(s) to be employed

– Specific procedures to be employed

– Formats for presenting results

– Projected outcomes

– Resource requirements

– Reliability and validity

• Chapter 4. Discussion of Expectations

– Anticipated benefits

– Projected outcomes

– Practical applications of the findings

– Constraints and limitations of the study

– Recommendations for additional studies

– Contributions to the field of study and advancement of knowledge

• Back Matter

• Appendixes

• Reference List

2.4.1.1 Dissertation Proposal: Front Matter

The contents of the front matter elements are described here:

Title Page

The title page includes the exact title of the dissertation, date of submission, the student's name, and name of the student's doctoral program, i.e., Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing. The title clearly states the subject of the dissertation and reflects the scope and content of the investigation. The title is comprehensive and descriptive, yet succinct. The title describes the essence of the research. A sample title page is included in Appendix B.

Abstract

The abstract is a one or two page summary of the purpose and content of the dissertation proposal. The abstract includes the problem statement, a description of procedures or methodology, and an account of expectations.

Table of Contents

The table of contents includes entries for the abstract, list of tables (if necessary), list of figures (if necessary), chapters with their numbers and titles, main headings and subheadings, appendixes, and reference list. The title of each entry in the table of contents corresponds to the title listed in the text. Each listing specifies a page number indicating where it is located. A separate list of tables is used if the document contains two or more tables. A separate list of figures is used if the document contains two or more figures. Page numbers on the table of contents, abstract, lists of tables or figures, and any other front matter of the dissertation are printed in lower case roman numerals centered at the bottom of the page. All other pages in the dissertation are numbered in Arabic numerals.

2.4.1.2 Dissertation Proposal: Text

The text is the main body of the dissertation proposal. Pages of the text must have page numbers in Arabic numerals in the upper right-hand corner of the page. The first page of Chapter 1 shall be numbered page 1.

Chapter 1. Introduction

The reasons for undertaking the dissertation effort are explained. A clear and concise statement of the problem to be investigated or goal to be achieved based on an identification of need is presented. The problem is defined in specific terms. Supporting evidence of the problem and goal is provided from the literature. Hypotheses, research questions, and major issues that will be treated in carrying out the dissertation project are indicated. You should demonstrate that the problem is manageable and lends itself to investigation within a given time frame. The scope of the research problem, costs and schedule constraints, and resource requirements (factors controlled by the researcher) are discussed. Relevant terms are identified and defined. There can be variation in presentation depending upon the model selected. The following topics are intended to serve as a guide.

– Statement of the problem to be investigated and goal to be achieved

– Relevance, significance or need for the study

– Elements, hypotheses, theories, or research questions to be investigated

– Definition of terms

Chapter 2. Relevance of research in the context of other work

This chapter begins with an introduction that explains the purpose of the literature review and concludes with a summary. The literature reviewed is organized by subject headings. The literature review establishes the context for the investigation. Various sources are used to identify important previous work. The contributions of other researchers to the development and formulation of the dissertation proposal are acknowledged. Significant findings and major conclusions from cited sources are evaluated and interpreted in terms of their impact on the present work. You should explain and establishe the relationship of the dissertation proposal to previously conducted investigations in the professional literature. Each reference to the literature in the text must be accompanied by a reference citation. You should discuss the relationship of the literature you have reviewed to your topic.

The following Chapter 2 topics are intended to serve as a guide:

– Historical overview of the theory and research literature

– The theory and research literature specific to the topic

– Summary of what is known and unknown about the topic

– The contribution this study will make to the field

Chapter 3. Methodology

This chapter delineates, in detail, the ways in which the work will be conducted. Each step in implementing the inquiry is indicated. You should describe the dissertation model that will provide a conceptual framework for the study. Goals of the individual steps are delineated. Scheduling of major activities is specified. Testing or evaluation instrumentation is presented. The discussion is sufficiently detailed to permit replication. Strategies to ensure reliability and validity are explained. Reasons why the method selected should yield answers to the stated problem are delineated. Goals and constraints, managerial and technical considerations, and resource requirements are examined. Hypotheses to be tested and specific research issues to be addressed are described. Techniques for choosing subjects or materials, controlling and/or manipulating relevant variables, establishing criteria to evaluate outcomes, and developing instrumentation or criterion measures are delineated. Limitations constraining the study and within which conclusions must be confined are specified. Assumptions made about the problem under investigation are described. Techniques that will be used to present results are indicated. Be clear and thorough in the explanation of your chosen research method. Your presentation should enable replication of your work by other researchers.

The following topics for the methodology chapter are intended to serve as a guide:

– Research method(s) to be employed

– Specific procedures to be employed

– Formats for presenting results

– Projected outcomes

– Resource requirements

– Reliability and validity

– Summary

Chapter 4. Expectations

A discussion of anticipated benefits and projected outcomes of the dissertation investigation is presented. Practical applications of the findings are examined. Constraints and limitations affecting the scope of the study are indicated. Recommendations for additional studies in the subject area and for making the project available to others are reviewed. Contributions of the investigation to the your field of study and advancement of knowledge are explained.

Dissertation Proposal: Back Matter

The contents of the back matter elements follow:

Appendixes

An appendix is used to present material that supplements the text or may be of interest to readers but is too detailed or distracting for inclusion in it. Surveys, evaluation instruments, original data, complicated mathematical tables, new computer programs, computer printouts, and data collection forms are examples of materials that are most appropriately appended. Appendixes help the reader replicate, assess, or understand the investigation. Each appendix is listed by letter and title in the table of contents.

Reference List

All works cited in the text of the dissertation proposal must appear in this section.

2.5 The Dissertation Manuscript

The dissertation manuscript is a detailed, accurate and cohesive account of an investigation accomplished to solve a problem and reveal new knowledge. It is written in the past tense and indicates what you have accomplished in executing the investigation. Reporting is an important component of the investigative process. The final dissertation manuscript is logically organized, complete, and objectively written. Clear communication is achieved by presenting the sequence of ideas and concepts in a straightforward, orderly manner. Continuity in thematic development is facilitated by precision and clarity in word choice. The key to effective writing is utilizing language effectively. You must review the dissertation for style and grammar before submitting the document to the chair for approval.

The dissertation manuscript should reflect the time, energy, attention, and effort that went into its development. The work must be clearly described. Procedures, results, and findings must be reported as accurately as possible. The dissertation is reviewed by the dissertation advisor and then forwarded to the other committee members. It is evaluated by all committee members for content, accuracy, clarity of presentation, and accomplishment. All instructions and requests to the doctoral student for subsequent modifications are made through the advisor. You must understand that the creation of the dissertation manuscript is an iterative process. You will be asked to defend your dissertation work. A defense is an oral presentation of your results to your committee and possibly to other faculty members and some of your peers. You should be prepared to explain in detail the rationale for the approach, and the findings and their interpretation. You should be prepared to explain the dissertation's contribution to knowledge and professional practice. A consensus of the dissertation committee is required before the dissertation can be approved.

Depending upon the nature of the work and the dissertation model employed, however, the detailed structure may be permitted to vary from the five-chapter model. Generally, the first three chapters of the dissertation proposal will become the first three chapters of the dissertation but some modification is usually necessary. The sections that make up the dissertation include the following:

Dissertation Manuscript: Front Matter

(see samples and templates in Appendix A of this guide)

Title Page. This is page i, but the page number should not be printed.

Approval/Signature Page. This is page ii, but the page number should not be printed.

Abstract. This is one or two pages (page iii or pages iii and iv) but the page number(s) should not be printed.

Acknowledgments. This is page iv or v, depending on the length of the abstract, but the page number should not be printed.

Table of Contents. This is page v or vi, depending on the length of the abstract. The page number should be printed centered at the bottom of the page.

List of Tables. Continue to print lower case Roman numerals, in sequence, at the bottom of the page(s).

List of Figures. Continue to print lower case Roman numerals, in sequence, at the bottom of the page(s).

Dissertation: Text

Pages of the text must have page numbers in Arabic numerals in the upper right-hand corner. The first page of Chapter 1 shall be page 1.

Chapter 1. Introduction

This chapter includes:

– Statement of the problem investigated and the goal that was achieved

– Relevance, significance or need for the study

– Elements, hypotheses, theories, or research questions investigated

– Limitations and delimitation of the study

– Definition of terms

– Summary

Chapter 2. Relevance of research in the context of other work

This chapter is organized by subject/topic area and includes:

– Historical overview of the theory and research literature

– The theory and research literature specific to the topic

– Summary of what is known and unknown about the topic

– The contribution this study makes to the field

Chapter 3. Methodology

This chapter includes:

– Research method(s) employed

– Specific procedures employed

– Formats for presenting results

– Projected outcomes

– Resources used

– Reliability and validity

Chapter 4. Results

This chapter includes:

– Data analysis

– Findings

– Summary of results

Chapter 5. Conclusion

This chapter contains these sections:

– Conclusions

– Implications

– Recommendations

– Summary

Dissertation: Back Matter

Pages of the back matter portion of the dissertation must have page numbers in Arabic numerals in the upper right-hand corner of the page and must be numbered consecutively. The page number of the first page of the back matter must be one greater than the page number of the last page of Chapter 5 (or the last chapter) of the dissertation.

Appendixes

Possible appendixes include:

– Correspondence from individuals involved in the study

– Officials granting permission to use facilities

– Supervisors granting permission to conduct the investigation

– Questionnaires

– Unpublished tests

– Raw data

– Computer programs

– Computer outputs

- Computer screens

- Interactive online sessions

– Additional tables to supplement material in the text

– Additional figures to supplement material in the text

– Additional charts to supplement material in the text

Reference List

2.5.1 Dissertation Binding

After the committee members have signed the Dissertation Approval Form indicating their acceptance of your work, you will receive information from the program office about how to submit the manuscript for binding. Do not submit the final copies until you are instructed to do so. You must follow the format and style guidelines specified in this Dissertation Guide and it is your responsibility to check the dissertation for grammatical, editorial, and spelling correctness.

A minimum of four original copies must be submitted for binding. If more than four copies are requested, submit the complete originals, (including signature pages for signing) for each dissertation you want to have bound. The distribution of the bound copies are: (1) one copy to the student, (2) one copy to the committee chair, (3) one copy to Pace University main library, (4) one copy to CSIS library, (5) if more than four copies are bound, the remaining copies are sent to the student. Each copy must include a correctly formatted signature page (see Appendix A). The signature page must follow the cover page. The signature pages are circulated to the committee for signing along with a copy of the final dissertation. After all signatures have been collected, the program office makes arrangements for the copies to be bound and distributed.

Appendix A

Sample Forms

Pace University

School of Computer Science and Information Systems

Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing

DISSERTATION TRACKING FORM

CANDIDATE’S NAME ________________________________________ ID: __________________________

DISSERTATION TITLE: ____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please indicate below the status of your dissertation work:

1. Discussed the topic with the following faculty members: ________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

2. Submitted Idea Paper to

_____________________________________________________ Approved: Yes _____ No ____

Faculty member name Date

3. Dissertation Committee formed ___________________________________________________

Date Chair

______________________________________ _________________________________________

Committee Member Committee Member

4. Submitted Dissertation Proposal to

_______________________________________________ Approved Yes _____ No ____

Faculty member name Date

5. Submitted final Dissertation to

_______________________________________________ Approved Yes _____ No ____

Faculty member name Date

Other comments: ___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Candidate’s signature _________________________________ Date _____________________

Pace University

School of Computer Science and Information Systems

Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing

DISSERTATION APPROVAL FORM

CANDIDATE’S NAME ________________________________________ ID: __________________________

DISSERTATION TITLE: ______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

___ Idea Paper The Idea Paper (attached) has met my approval. The topic is potentially suitable for a

doctoral dissertation and I hereby agree to serve as dissertation advisor.

___ Committee Formation - We have been requested by the candidate and hereby agree to serve on

the dissertation committee.

___ Dissertation Proposal - We hereby approve the candidate’s Formal Dissertation Proposal (attached).

___ Final Dissertation - We hereby approve the candidate’s final Dissertation (attached).

The candidate may prepare the necessary copies for signatures and binding.

ADVISOR/CHAIR _________________________________________________________

Name Signature Date

MEMBER ________________________________________________________________

Name Signature Date

MEMBER ________________________________________________________________

Name Signature Date

Appendix B

Sample Dissertation Pages

Sample Dissertation Title Page

A Study of the Dissertation Process in Wireless Society of Information Technology Professionals

by

Mary A. Doe

Submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Professional Studies

in Computing

at

School of Computer Science and Information Systems

Pace University

June 2xxx

Sample Dissertation Signature (Approval) Page

We hereby certify that this dissertation, submitted by Mary A. Doe, satisfies the dissertation requirements for the degree of Doctor of Professional Studies and has been approved.

_____________________________________________-________________

John Jones Date

Chairperson of Dissertation Committee

_____________________________________________-________________

Susan Smith Date

Dissertation Committee Member

_____________________________________________-________________

Frances Blank Date

Dissertation Committee Member

School of Computer Science and Information Systems

Pace University 2xxx

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